1954 International Highbinder

[RoninUtah]

This is an AITM conversion I picked up from a third party not long ago- it was missing the AITM “pewter pack” and a few other parts but I had them covered from my spares box. Donor chassis is an AMT White Freightliner SD. This build is obviously not in the same league as @Driptroit 71’s masterpiece from back in 2017, but I think it fairly represents a working tractor of the 50’s, in the days before mud flaps, front wheel brakes, and… DEF? What’s that??  As a short wheelbase two-axle COE, it might have been pulling doubles on the West Coast somewhere, burning’ up the miles at 45 MPH! Cue the Red Simpson record…

[Biggu]

That is a beautiful build ,Ron. Very cool old iron and back in the day they had some style even the homely trucks. They had their own style of grace unlike some of the ‘plastic cookie cutter’ units of today that all look alike. I can’t imagine how some of these old rigs were to climb in and out of. You hit the nail on the head with this. I particularly like the way you placed the air lines and electrical. Looks perfectly real. Good job. Very nicely done. 
Jeff

Edited August 12, 2024 by Biggu

[Rockford]

The sheer brutality of the designs of this era are astounding. They were basically a drivetrain with a housing for a human bolted on. You've captured it perfectly, well done.  You have to admire the men that drove these things. 

[RoninUtah]

Thanks, Jeff and Steve, I really appreciate your comments! Yes, trucks like this were considered to be nothing more than pieces of industrial equipment back then, with barely a nod to aesthetics or creature comforts. It took a strong guy to handle one (no power steering, two-stick transmission) and that generation of drivers is all but gone now.

Incidentally, the build I'm working on now will be the polar opposite, stay tuned...

[Biggu]

1 hour ago, RoninUtah said:

Thanks, Jeff and Steve, I really appreciate your comments! Yes, trucks like this were considered to be nothing more than pieces of industrial equipment back then, with barely a nod to aesthetics or creature comforts. It took a strong guy to handle one (no power steering, two-stick transmission) and that generation of drivers is all but gone now.

Incidentally, the build I'm working on now will be the polar opposite, stay tuned...

Yeah, two sticks are fun to drive, been a long time, but I would love to give it a go once again....some guys could drive them and others certainly couldn't and really struggled...... they did keep a guy on his toes a little more than today's automatics...yuk

 

Jeff

[Jim B]

Very nice International. It really looks great. 

[Warren D]

Looks very primitive.  Barely a step up from  a team of horses!

[PappyD340]

Great looking International!

[ChrisR]

Nice!

[Bronzekeg]

looking good!

[Jürgen M.]

Very nice! I like unusual trucks.

The IH Conco I built is a similarly "ugly" truck but in my opinion both have a unique personality making them likable, especially for truck fans!

I like your choice and what you made of it! Looking forward to seeing more!

[RoninUtah]

2 hours ago, Jürgen M. said:

The IH Conco I built is a similarly "ugly" truck but in my opinion both have a unique personality making them likable, especially for truck fans!

Thanks, Jürgen! Your Conco is kinda the grandson of this Highbinder... Same manufacturer, similar weird cabover design.  Yours turned out beautifully, by the way.

[Jürgen M.]

Thanks, so did yours!

Hope you've got more good ideas!

 

[gotnitro?]

Beautiful work 

[leafsprings]

Great representation of a vintage IH hauler, paint scheme and wheels are perfect. It got the job done and didn't cost IH a fortune in retooling costs!

Edited August 18, 2024 by leafsprings

[DRIPTROIT 71]

I don't know that I would call mine a "masterpiece," but thanks for the kind words! Nice work on this one!! I like what you have come up with. Interesting story on these truck; climbing hills would be often very slow and sitting right on top of the engine, the heat would build up in the cab so much that some drivers would open the driver's door going up a grade in the summer.

[RoninUtah]

Thank you so much, Brian! Your kind words mean a lot to me. And don’t sell yourself short: yours had incredible details, such as the swing away fenders and a detailed engine, beautifully done. Mine is just a curbside model!

The other reason for opening the driver’s door going uphill back in the day was to look on the ground to see if the truck was moving! You could put a brick on the accelerator pedal and jump out and grab a cup of coffee, and then run back to catch up with a truck before it crested the hill!

[RoninUtah]

So, the IH picked up a flatbed load of steel coils and is rolling southbound. It was time for a coffee break, so the driver pulled over on a wide spot on the shoulder near the cafe, just before a his buddy from California had the same idea!

[Jürgen M.]

Awesome! 

[Gary Chastain]

Really cool build

[slusher]

Looks great!,